Ozoplaning with the Wizard of OzThompson, Ruth Plumly
Science
Ozoplaning with the Wizard of Oz
Thompson, Ruth Plumly
Fantasy fiction; Oz (Imaginary place) -- Juvenile fiction; Wizard of Oz (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction
"It's _not_!" cried Wantowin Battles, tossing up his cap and waving his
arms exuberantly. "It's the other one, the Ozpril, and that means--"
In his extreme excitement, the Soldier tripped over a balloon bush and
fell seven feet into the air. "It means the Wizard himself has come to
help us," sputtered Wantowin, blinking rapidly as he landed hard on the
rock beside the young Oz maid. "Three cheers, Jellia! The Wizard of Oz
has saved us!"
CHAPTER 10
The Wizard in Stratovania!
It was indeed the Ozpril, just as the Soldier with Green Whiskers
had said. Even at a distance, Jellia could spell out the name on the
gleaming body and, as the silvery plane came swooping toward them, she
could not repress a shout of joy.
Too exhausted by the dreadful ordeal she had just been through to run
to meet the ship, she jerked off her scarf and waved it wildly over her
head.
About ten feet from the crystal boulder on which she had been sitting,
the Ozpril came to a gentle and perfect landing. Scarcely had the
whirr and sputter of its engine died away before the door of the
cabin burst open and down climbed the little Wizard of Oz, followed
by Dorothy and the Scarecrow. The Cowardly Lion, last of all, had
difficulty fitting his paws on the rungs and, after a trembling
descent, rolled over on his back, his four feet straight up in the air.
The trip had not agreed with the Cowardly Lion at all. Weak and dizzy,
he made no attempt to rise.
"Here you are at last!" cried the Wizard happily, rushing over to
Jellia and seizing both of her hands. "So THIS is where you've been!
Well I must say it's a fine place. Why it's beautiful, beautiful!"
Swinging round so he could look in all directions, the Wizard
positively glowed with interest and enthusiasm.
"What's so beautiful about it?" growled the lion without turning over.
"Is there any grass? Are there any trees? Is there anything to eat?"
Dorothy, on the point of embracing Jellia, gave a little scream, for
the Tell-all-escope, which she had picked up just before leaving the
plane, was making terse announcements. At this point it happened to be
pointed at Jellia. Clearing its throat it remarked in a superior way:
"You are now looking at Miss Jellia Jam, formerly of Oz, at present new
Starina of the Strat, by edict of Strutoovious the Seventh. Miss Jellia
Jam, Starina of Stratovania! Period! Stop, drop or point elsewhere!"
"Why, _Jellia_!" gasped Dorothy, letting the Tell-all-escope fall with
a crash, "are you, really? Oh my! I don't suppose you'll _ever_ want to
return to Oz, now. Why, you must be having a wonderful time!"
"Humph!" sniffed Jellia, with a slightly wan smile. "If being pinched,
chased and nearly blown to atoms is having a wonderful time, then I
guess I've been having it all right!"
"Tell me," requested the Scarecrow, who had been walking in a slow
circle around Jellia. "Does one prostrate oneself before a Starina,
or does one merely kiss her hand?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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